1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to an endoscopic or laparoscopic surgical apparatus, and more particularly to a surgical apparatus having a disposable elongated body assembly for passing a length of suture material through bodily tissue or organ parts.
2. Description of Related Art
The recent advancement of minimally-invasive surgical procedures has proven to be an advantageous alternative over prior invasive surgical procedures. Advantages gained by minimally-invasive surgical procedures include quicker recovery time as well as the reduction in the length of hospital stays and medical costs.
Generally, endoscopic surgery involves incising through body walls, for example, viewing and/or operating on the ovaries, uterus, gall bladder, bowels, kidneys, appendix, etc. There are many common endoscopic surgical procedures, including arthroscopy, laparoscopy (pelviscopy), and gastroentroscopy, for example. Typically, a trocar assembly is utilized for creating the incisions through which the endoscopic surgery is performed. The trocar assembly includes a sharp pointed obturator which is used to puncture and penetrate the skin and surrounding tissue to reach the surgical site. The obturator is positioned within a cannula which is generally configured as a sleeve member. The cannula remains in place after the obturator has been removed and provides a path for the insertion of surgical equipment needed for the particular surgical procedure.
Prior to introducing the cannula through the body wall, the surgeon may insufflate the body cavity with insufflation gas, typically through a Verres needle or like device. Insufflation expands the body cavity creating an enlarged free area between internal body organs and the body wall. The surgeon is then able to introduce cannulas through the body wall so as to create a port of entry for surgical instrumentation.
Typically, a camera or endoscope is inserted through a cannula thereby enabling the visual inspection and magnification of the body cavity. With the visual assistance of an endoscope and external television monitor, the surgeon can perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures at the surgical site with aid of specialized instrumentation, such as, graspers, dissectors, clip appliers, lasers, electrocautery devices and the like which are specifically designed for introduction and manipulation through additional cannulas.
Thus, instead of a large incision (typically 12 inches or larger) that cuts through major muscles, patients undergoing endoscopic surgery receive more cosmetically appealing incisions, which are typically between 5 and 10 millimeters in size. Recovery is, therefore, much quicker. In addition, because the surgical field is greatly magnified, surgeons are better able to dissect blood vessels and control blood loss.
In many endoscopic surgical procedures, including those involved in endoscopic surgery, it is often necessary to suture bodily organs or tissue and thereafter knot the suture material so as to approximate or adjoin tissue pieces. This procedure is especially challenging during endoscopic surgery because of the small openings through which the suturing of the bodily organs or tissues must be accomplished.
In the past, suturing of bodily organs or tissue through endoscopic surgery was achieved through the use of a sharp metal suture needle attached to an end of a length of suture material. In a typical endoscopic surgical procedure, the surgeon grasps the suture needle with an endoscopic grasping instrument, enabling the suture needle to be introduced into the abdominal body cavity of the patient, via a cannula. Through manipulation of the grasping instrument, the surgeon effects the suture needle to penetrate and pass through bodily tissue pulling the suture material therethrough.
However, during endoscopic surgery, the above described procedure of passing a length of suture material through first and second tissue pieces is time consuming and burdensome due to the difficult maneuvers and manipulations which are required through the small endoscopic openings.
There have been many attempts to provide devices to facilitate suturing during endoscopic surgery. Such devices include staples, clips, clamps or other fasteners as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,041,129 to Hayhurst et al., 5,080,663 to Mills et al., 5,021,059 to Kensy et al., 4,841,888 to Mills et al., 4,741,330 to Hayhurst, 4,724,840 to McVay et al., 4,705,040 to Mueller et al., 4,669,473 to Richards et al., 4,627,437 to Bedi et al., 4,448,194 to DiGiovanni et al., 4,039,078 to Bone, 4,235,238 to Ogiv et al., 4,006,747 to Kronenthal et al., 3,875,648 to Bone and 5,085,661 to Moss. However, none of the above listed devices overcome the aforementioned disadvantages associated with suturing body tissue.
There is, accordingly, a need for a new and improved suture apparatus, particularly useful in endoscopic surgery to overcome the shortcomings and drawbacks of the above-mentioned apparatus.